Apparatus for treating oil



Sept. 11, 1928.

R. T. POLLOCK APPARATUS FOR TREATING OIL Original Filed Dec. 2, 1920 LQQKS Patented Sept. 11, 1928.

UNITED STATES 7 ROBERT T. POLLOCK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y1,

ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIVERSAL OIL PROD- UGTS COMPANY, 01 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF'SOUTH -DAKOTA.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING OIL.

Original application fled. December 2, 1920, Serial No 427,873. Divided and this application filed Iatcli 7,

1928, Serial No. 623,312.

This invention relates to an apparatus for treating oil, and more particularly refers to apparatus employed in a process for the conversion of heavy to lighter hydrocarbons, al-

though in its broader aspects the invention is not necessarily so limited.

i This application is a division of an apphcation filed December 2nd, 1920, as Serial No. 427,873.

The invention is more specifically directed to the manner of dephlegmating the vapors and the mixing of the reflux condensate from the dephleglnator with the preheated raw oil without at the same time permitting the raw oil to come into physical contact with the uncondensed portions of the vapors passing through the dephlegmator. In other words,

I use the raw oil which is to be treated to regulate the temperature of the dcphlegmator and at the same time preheat it and mix it with the reflux condensate but I carefully avoid allowing the raw oil to come into contact with the uncondensed portions of the generated gases and vapors.

The single gure shows a view partly in section and partly in side elevation of my improved apparatus for carrying outmy process.

Referring in detail to the drawings. 1 designates the furnace provided with stack 2, and burner 3. In the furnace is mounted the heating element or chamber which in the present instance takes the form of a closed coil 4, as for example, a continuous coil of 4 or 6 pipe. The discharge side of the coil is connected by transfer line 5 having throttle valve 6 to expansion or vapor chamber 7. This expansion chamber is provided with a liquid drawofi line 8 controlled by throttle valve 9, whereby the residue may be continnously'drawn out of the system. The coil and vapor chamber are each provided with pressure gauges 10 and 11 respectively. The vapor chamber is provided with the gooseneck or vapor outlet pipe 12 connected to the side of a dephlegmator 13 near the lower end of the latter as shown at 14. This dephlegmator consists of an elongated cylindrical drum 15 provided near its upper and lower ends respectively with partition members 16 and 17 forming the chambers 18, and 19. Suitably su ported in the two partitions are a series 0 small vertical tubes 20 which form the connection between the cham- Renewed March 15, 1928.

bers 18 and,19. Surrounding the tubes 20 1s ahehcal baflle member 21, this bafiie memher being slightly spaced away from the tubes and also from the side of the drum 15. The lower partition member 17 is provided with a plurality of apertures or openings 22 to perm1t the reflux condensate to enter the chamber 19.

The raw oil is fed to the chamber 18 through the line 23 having throttle valve 24, which line 23 is connected to the discharge s de of the raw oil feed pump 25. The inlet sulc of the pump is connected by line 26 to any suitable source of supply. The lower part of the chamber 19 is provided with the oil leg 27, which is connected by line 28 having valve 29 to the inlet or feed side of the heating coil 4. The upper part of the chamber 30 formed between the partition members 16 and 17 is provided with the vapor outlet pipe 31 connected to condenser coil 32 seated in condenser box 33. The lower end of the coil 32 is connected by pipe 34 having throttle valve 35 to the top of receiver 36. Th1s receiver 36 is provided with pressure gauge 37, liquid level gauge 38, gas outlet pipe 39 having throttle valve IO-and liquid filaWOfi pipe 41 controlled by throttle valve In carrying out the process, the raw oil is fed through the tubes in the dephlegmator and thence through the main feed line to the inlet side of the heating coil. This oil, as for example, Kansas gas oil of say, 32 degrees Baum, may be heated to a temperature of say, 750 degrees F.. and the whole system maintained from the heating coil to the receiver, under a pressure of l'pounds. The oil in liquid phase is delivered to the vapor chamber where vaporization takes place. The residue containing precipitated carbon is drawn off from the vapor chamber through line 8, the vapors passing out into the vapor outlet pipe into the lower part of the dephlegmator. As they rise, they are compelled to pass by the helical battle, the heavier vapors being condensed and pass out through the apertures 22 in the plate 17 to the leg 27, where they meet the preheated raw oil. The uncondensed vapors and uncondensable as pass out to thecondenser and thence to t e receiver.

It will be noted that the raw oil is reheated and also acts as the cooling medium let communicatin for the vapors in the dephlegmator. The apertures 22 in the perforated plate 17 are preferably of such a size as'to ermit the reflux condensate to pass into the eg 27.

The process may also be carried out as follows: Instead of maintainin uniform pressure on the entire system, a iflerential pressure may be maintained on the system, as for example, 250 pounds on the heating coil, 200 pounds on the expansion chamber, 100 pounds on the dcphle 'mator and condenser. If desired, a thrott e valve 43 may be interposed on the vapor pipe 31 and a less pressure malntained on the condenser than on the dephlegs mator. \Vhere a less pressure is maintained on the dephlegmator than on the heating coil, it will probably be desirable to interpose a pump 44 shown in dotted lines in the line 28.

The processes referred to are especially advantageous in economy of fuel consum tion, in well regulated dephlegn'lation and a so in prcventingthe uncondensable gases and uncondensed Va ors from mixing with the raw oil. Otherw1se, the raw oil might absorb some of the lighter vapors and uncondensable ases and unnecessarily send them throug the system again.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus for cracking hydrocarbon oil, the combination of a dcphlegmator comprising an elongated vertical cylindrical shell, partition members located in said shell near each end thereof forming upper and lower compartments and an intermediate compartment, a vapor inlet and a vapor outcompartment, a p urality of tubes mounted in said partitions and constituting a communication between the upper and lower compartments of said dephlegmator, said lower partition member being provided with apertures through which the reflux condensate formed in the intermediate compartment can pass from said intermediate compartment into said lower compartment, means for feeding raw oil into the upper compartment of said de hlegmator and means for withdrawing sai raw oil and reflux condensate from with said intermediate,v

the lower compartment of said dephlegmator.

2. In an apparatus for treating hydrocarbon oil, the combination of a dephlegmator comprising an elongated cylindrical .shell having an upper and a lower partition member forming upper and lower compartments and an intermediate compartment, a plurality of tubes mounted in said partitions constituting an open communication from the upper to the lower compartments, vapor in let and outlet openings, communicating with said intermediate compartment, a helical baffle spaced from the walls of said intermediate compartment and extending between said vapor inlet and outlet openings, said lower partition member being provided with apertures through which the reflux condensate formed in the dcplile mator is adapted to pass from said interme iate compartment into said lower compartment, means for feeding raw oil into said upper com )artment to ass through said plurality of tu es into said ower compartment to intermingle therein with the reflux condensate and means for withdrawing the intermingled raw oil and reflux condensate fr0m-said lower compartment.

3. In an apparatus for cracking hydrocarbon oil, the combination of a dephle lnntor comprising a vertical, cylindrical she 1, partition members located in said shell near each end thereof forming upper and lower compartments and an intermediate compartment, a vapor inlet and a vapor outlet communicating with said intermediate compartment, means extending through said intermediate compartment connectin the 11 per and lower compartments of sai deph egmator, said lower partition member being provided with apertures through which the reflux condensate formed in the intermediate compartment can pass from said intermediate compartment into said lower compartment, means for introducing a cooling medium into the upper compartment of said de hle mator,- and means for withdrawing sai coo ing medium and reflux condensate from the lower compartment of said dephlegmator.

ROBERT T. POLLOCK. 

